Lycra made with Qira - one of the Best Inventions of 2025
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The Best Inventions of 2025 - Lycra fiber made with Qira

October 9, 2025 - In July, textile manufacturer Qore opened the doors to its $300 million facility in Eddyville, Iowa, to produce Qira: a bio-based, 1,4‑Butanediol (BDO) that replaces building block molecules historically produced using fossil fuels with those derived from U.S.-grown field corn. The Lycra Company is among Qore’s first collaborators, incorporating Qira into a renewable, bio-derived Lycra fiber for use in clothing and other textiles. Lycra’s use of Qira has the potential to reduce Lycra’s carbon footprint by up to 44%, according to a cradle-to-gate screening commissioned by the company, while delivering the same level of performance as Lycra’s original spandex fibers.

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Originally published by Time in October 2025.

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